'Person of interest' in dog skinning case held in protective custody, The Gadsden Times reports

ETOWAH COUNTY, Alabama -- A man named as a person of interest in the case of a Dachshund believed to have been skinned alive earlier this month, has been placed in protective custody while in jail on charges unrelated to the animal cruelty investigation, The Gadsden Times has reported.

Threats were made against 33-year-old John Michael Smith -- who is in custody for non-payment of child support -- after it was reported he was a person of interest in the animal cruelty case, Etowah County Sheriff Todd Entrekin told the newspaper.